Innocence
by Maebmin
Summary: A collection of Snowby one-shots, from TWAU - Fables era. Rated M. Sometimes smutty.
1. Chapter 1

**This is just a little continuation of ideas I had over at _Nightcall._** I'm not sure how much more I should explore these ideas or not, but I hope you like this other peek at them.

* * *

There was no rhyme or reason to it; Snow considered this as she stood at the sheriff's door, waiting eagerly for a response. She realized her excuses were wearing thin and Bigby was sure to be skeptical.

It had been a _hard_ day. Not just busy, but one of those days where everything she did had turned out wrong. From pulling too hard and breaking a shoelace on her new oxford heels in the morning, to forgetting a meeting she should have prepared for _days_ ago, to making the wrong calls and getting chewed out by both her constituents _and_ her boss, it just hadn't been her day at all.

Earlier, she had bumped into the sheriff as she was walking down the hallway from the business office. He had been curiously quiet, hiding in his office for most of the day. He probably could tell that it wasn't a good time to get into it. He had made a sheepish grin before looking away, but she stopped and said hello. His few kind words were enough to get her through the day…and now she was here.

His door finally opened and Snow peeked inside, tilting her head curiously. Bigby's dull eyes lit up as they met hers.

"What are you doing here, Boss?"

His voice was rough and warm and she could smell his sweet musk immediately. _Boss_. She loved it when he called her that.

"Can I come in?"

Bigby's eyes narrowed, almost in suspicion, at his superior standing at his doorstep. A small smile crept across his face though, and he stood back to open the door.

Walking in, Snow took a glance around the room, trying to interpret the sheriff's current lifestyle. The take-out boxes were gone, but they were replaced by bottles of beer that scattered his table. It seemed like he had more time on his hands than usual.

"How are you doing? Can I get you anything?"

Snow turned around on her heels, smirking at his politeness. Bigby stood by the door and kept his hands in his pockets, casually.

"I'm a little hungry, but something tells me you've got nothing in that fridge."

He nearly blushed as he passed his hand through his hair, pulling it back from his face and walking towards his kitchen. "Did you want to go get something?"

"Maybe later." She took a few steps closer and stretched her arm coyly.

"How'd it go today? You seemed pretty drained when I saw you."

The smile on her face disappeared for a moment, but returned quickly, "I got a good dose of people yelling at me today. That's okay though…I messed up."

Concern played on his features and they were both silent for a few moments. Snow closed her eyes and sighed, stretching her shoulder once more in exaggeration.

"Do you think you could give me a shoulder rub? I've just got _so_ much tension."

His boyish eyes widened and he hardly seemed to consider it before nodding straightaway.

"Yeah…yeah, sure. Do you want me to—?"

She waved her long fingers towards his ratty armchair, "Why don't you just sit down and I'll take a seat in front of you?"

Bigby paused before obliging, sitting down and relaxing as he normally would. Snow watched him eagerly before she turned from him and sat down in the same chair, in between his knees. He reached forward and relaxed his calloused hands on her shoulders. Snow's porcelain neck tilted as he started to rub deliciously into her. He was nervous; she could tell that much, but he gained confidence as he rubbed firmer and more consistently into her shoulder blades. Her constant inner monologue was quieting, and the inhibitions she held were beginning to melt away.

As he worked on making her comfortable, Snow took a deep breath and straightened her back suddenly. His hands stopped their motion, and Snow slid herself back towards Bigby, letting her body rest against his chest. She tilted her head so she could feel his hot neck and scruff against her supple skin. Bigby's breathing hitched in his throat and Snow smiled privately at his reaction.

"I've been thinking about this since I saw you today."

Bigby released his hot breath from its hold, causing her skin to dimple. "Really?"

She nodded and pushed further back against him, her long neck lolling on his shoulder. He gave a small grunt of surprise and Snow's smile widened.

"You must have had a rough day."

"It _was_ rough. But I'm here now."

"Did you come here to order me around?"

Snow smirked and pushed back against him once more, drawing another sigh from him. "Is that okay?"

He almost laughed, "You know it is."

"Good."

She took one ruby tipped fingernail and pointed to the side of her neck closest to him. As per usual, he leaned his face down and grazed her neck with his lips. He took deep, heavy drags of her scent, his hot breath cascading down her neck and chest and electrifying the rest of her body. She pushed against him impatiently, and he took that as a cue to finally bite down softly on her skin. He grazed his teeth against her flesh and Snow let out her first moan of the night. Her body bucked against him, and it was time that she guided his arms around her waist. He followed precedent carefully and only acted when she directed him to. His arms gripped her tightly to his body and his breathing was becoming more intense.

At the height of his yearning, Snow stopped her movements. Bigby took her action as a sign to stop his immediately, and she patted him on the knee for being so quick.

She stood up from the armchair, and did not turn to face the sheriff. Looking forward, Snow removed her jacket and tossed it on his dining chair, and unbuttoned her blouse slowly. She could feel every part of Bigby's gaze and relished in taking her time as she pulled her shirt away from her arms. With a final snap, her bra came undone and Snow's nude back was exposed at last. She kept her skirt and her heels on, and straightened her waistline above her hips.

Turning on her feet, her eyes met with the sheriff's again. He watched her face carefully, and his breathing became shallow. She stood for a few moments before crawling back on top of the seat, placing Bigby in-between her knees. He lowered himself in his chair and let Snow take over. At first, she only moved on top of him, slowly, and they shared sweet silence. It wasn't long before she grabbed onto his hands and placed them upon her waist. They gripped her tightly, but he didn't move to guide her motions. He always let her be in control. Snow lifted herself above him and undid his belt in a few swift motions while her skirt was being pushed higher and higher. She patted his shoulder and motioned with her finger for him to sit up and be closer with her now, and he did so promptly. He sat up and their bodies meshed as he held her with his arms around her waist. She wrapped her arms around his head and pulled him towards her chest. With a few small adjustments, their bodies finally connected. A gasp escaped her red lips and her head lolled back. The sheriff sat forward and moved against her, creating friction and rhythm and causing Snow to finally relax her body around him. He held her up loyally and supported her every muscle.

The motions and biting and breathing continued until they reached a crescendo of sounds and sensations. Snow's eyes opened as she gazed into the cracked ceiling above her, feeling only open sky as she whimpered her final moans.

Collapsing into the chair, Snow nuzzled her face into Bigby's chest and smiled in satisfaction. He held her loosely in his arms, giving her a small peck on her forehead as they relaxed in exhaustion. She allowed herself a few minutes of continued warmth, but she eventually she sat up and pulled herself away.

Bigby was still catching his breath, and his voice nearly cracked when he spoke, "You don't gotta go, you know. We could get that bite to eat…if you're still hungry."

Snow glanced down at the sheriff as she buttoned her powder-blue blouse. His eyes were big and sweet, but she shook her head softly.

"I really should go home. Thanks for the help, though."

Bigby gave a small laugh and shrugged and Snow could tell that he was perplexed. That was okay though, because she was, too.

Brushing her hand through her hair, Snow reached to Bigby's door once more and turned to wave, "I'll see you tomorrow, sheriff."

He smiled and waved back but stayed in his chair as he watched her leave. Snow closed the door quietly, and she walked back up to her apartment with little tension in her shoulders.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Defense**_

* * *

Snow's stride lengthened as she made her way towards the sheriff's apartment door. A full day at the office always had to be complemented by some sort of emergency, and tonight's had manifested in Bluebeard throwing the business office door open and gnashing his teeth about her sheriff_ making a big mess down the block_. Snow knew well enough that that was probably an exaggeration, but nevertheless, she was here, checking on things. She pounded on his door loudly before calling his name impatiently.

A moment later, the lock on his lock clicked and the door opened. Snow pushed it forward and caught Bigby lumbering back to his chair, looking ill.

Snow stepped over the threshold and closed the door behind her, "Are you _okay?_ What is wrong with you?"

Bigby turned to her before he carefully sat down. Snow examined him carefully; a swollen eye and cuts along his face told a familiar story. His shirt was unbuttoned, exposing crisp bandages that surrounded him around his abdomen.

Snow stood in front of him now and placed her hands on her hips in exasperation, "Oh, Bigby. What did you _do_."

He waved his hand at her dismissively and closed his tired eyes, "I did _nothing_. Swineheart already took care of me. Is he the one who told you to come down here?"

Snow sighed and folded her arms in front of her, "Not exactly. I got word that you made some _trouble_. Seeing you now, that must be true."

"I didn't _do_ anything. Come on, Snow…"

"Don't. I need to hear about this now before I can go home tonight." Her eyes narrowed and he grimaced in guilt.

"I was out doing my rounds, like I'm supposed to do…" He started flippantly, lazily grabbing the beer bottle that sat next to him on the table. He drank and began again more thoughtfully, "Bar duty, y'know. I caught some wind of some rowdy behavior down at some shithole. So I went to take care of it."

Snow relaxed to an extent, tilting her head in curiosity.

"There was some asshole making a fool of himself. We got into a little bit of a…confrontation, when I tried to escort him out."

"He must have really gotten a few good ones in if you had to go see Swineheart afterwards."

"I _controlled_ myself, because I'm working on…not changing every time I get into it with someone," Bigby stretched his shoulder and winced, "It's hard, but I'm working on it. And it leaves me more vulnerable to goddamn claw marks."

Snow considered his story for a few moments, balancing back and forth on her heels, "Property damage?"

Bigby considered it. "Maybe…well, yes."

"What was this guy doing, exactly?"

Bigby's eyes rolled, "He was being _rowdy_."

Snow narrowed her eyes further and stood up straight, "Word is that _you_ got rowdy. You could've just thrown him out. Why'd you get into it with him?"

Bigby watched her for a moment before sighing and looking away. He seemed to resign himself before starting again, "It wouldn't have been bad…he was just being belligerent. And uh…" Bigby glanced down, "He added a bunch of shit about you, towards the end. The office too, but especially…you. And…I guess I responded badly."

Snow's eyebrows rose and she considered Bigby's words carefully before speaking, "You can't beat a man for insulting the deputy mayor, Bigby."

"Yeah, I _realize_."

Snow's curiosity nearly got the best of her, as she found herself wanting to ask if she knew the man or what exactly he said. She kept her lips pursed, though.

"I'm sorry. It got out of hand."

"You weren't drinking tonight, were you?"

A scowl crossed his face as their eyes met, "_No_."

They shared silence for a few moments. Snow bit her lip and swallowed the contradiction in her throat. His weathered eyes were handsome and tired and she yearned to not continue the conversation. But it had to be said.

"I don't want to be the person who has to be defended by her colleagues."

Bigby's mouth opened and then promptly closed before he nodded slowly.

Snow took a breath and continued, "I know that it's hard sometimes. It's hard not to defend each other because it gets personal so quickly in this work. But when they _see _that it bothers you, they remember. And they'll use it against you. And me."

She paused her thinking and went into the kitchen, grabbing a small washcloth and wetting it in the sink before returning. She turned and grabbed Bigby's single wooden dining chair from across the room and dragged it in front of him, sitting down so they now faced each other.

"Look up at me."

He obliged and she patted the damp cloth on his cheek, loosening the dried blood that painted his face. He winced, but relaxed.

"I'm sorry, Snow. I don't mean to make things more complicated for you."

She smirked, pulling away to take a look at his face before continuing with the cloth, "Please. You help so much. Just worry about Bluebeard giving you shit about our shrinking budget. We'll deal with all of that tomorrow, though."

"Sounds like a usual day, then."

Snow smiled, catching Bigby's warm eyes before they laughed. The sounds of the city outside filled the quiet between them, and they shared it all for a long time that night, pleasantly.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Walking Back_  
**

* * *

Bigby's breath hitched as he opened the door open for Snow, the cold air shocking him as they made their way outside. It didn't bother him usually, but the past few chilly days had made him reconsider his feelings.

Snow shrunk into her coat as she waited for him at the bottom of the stoop, scuffing her heel on the remnants of ice below her.

"Let's turn in for the day, we're running out of daylight."

The sheriff smirked as he took the few steps down to the sidewalk, "That's an excuse if I've ever heard one. I do my best work at night."

Snow's eyes rolled and she started their walk back to The Woodlands, "Not _tonight_, Bigby. It's going to be freezing."

Bigby stopped behind Snow, reaching into his coat for his cigarettes. He lit one, relishing the flame in his hands for a moment, before continuing, "You could always go on back alone and let me finish up here."

She glanced back at him in exasperation, "Come on, just walk back with me. It isn't urgent."

Bigby gave up on his fake protesting and followed her down the street. A few paces ahead of him, Snow took one step into the crosswalk before a last-second car sped through the intersection. Bigby watched the whole thing happen; the speeding tire hit a pothole filled with melted ice from the road, consequently hitting Snow with a cartoonish wave of street water.

Bigby stood behind her still, looking at the back of her meticulous bun and waiting for her reaction. A wry grin spread across his face for a moment, before Snow turned back to him slowly and he regained his composure. Her expression was blank and she stared forward in shock. Her cream trench coat was soaked in brown water. The hanging raven strands around her face were wet, and muddy dots speckled her pale face.

The crowd around them continued through the crosswalk without care. Snow's eyes widened in anger, and Bigby's struggle to remain stoic faltered. A wide smile spread across his face and he started to shake his head, trying to hold back.

"Oh, Snow, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Her steely eyes narrowed at the snickering sheriff before she brushed her palms against her coat in a futile effort to dry it off. Bigby could hear her quiet cursing from where he stood.

"_Goddammit_, _goddammit_."

"Snow, come on. We'll catch a cab home."

"_Here¸_ at _this_ time of day? That's never going to happen."

They finally crossed the street and continued walking, albeit at a faster pace now. Snow crossed her arms stubbornly, brushing the wet strands of her hair behind her ears. The sun was setting, and The Woodlands was still several blocks away.

Bigby reached out and tapped on Snow's shoulder in front him, "Hey, stop for a second." He turned to the side of the walkway and motioned for her to come closer.

"I want to get back, Bigby."

"Give me your jacket. You shouldn't walk back like that."

"I'm not walking _without_ it."

"I'll give you mine."

"But what about you?"

Bigby shook his head incredulously, "You're soaking, Snow, and you're just wearing a skirt under there for god's sakes. You need something dry. I'm _fine_."

Snow furrowed her brow as she considered it. He watched her glance up to the street sign they stood beside, and he saw the calculations play on her face as she contemplated how far they had to go. Eventually, she resigned herself.

"Alright. Thank you."

She slipped the muddy coat off and handed it to him. He held onto it as he pulled his off and held it open for her to slip into. He grinned as she sunk warmly into the dark trench coat, her small frame hardly filling the shoulders of it. She pulled it tightly around herself, looking satisfied.

Bigby threw her wet coat over his shoulder, holding onto it by its collar. The cold wind bit into him, but it wasn't hard to ignore with Snow there. She watched him with an almost nervous gaze before she gave a small smile.

He smirked and motioned towards her drolly, "Hey, you almost look better in it than I do."

Snow's eyes rolled as she shoved her hands into the pockets before she started walking again. He carried along beside her on their way back home.


	4. Chapter 4

**Remembrance Day**

* * *

Snow's slender fingers struggled with the lighter momentarily before it finally lit. Satisfied, she took a small, nervous drag from the cigarette and exhaled. Her cough afterwards carried on the wind as the smoke did, and she cursed inwardly. She leaned forward on the balustrade and sighed as she tried to lose herself in the city lights and the cigarette and the gin. The empty balcony was a small blessing for her exhaustion.

It was a dreary winter's night, but the party going on inside shed some warmth on Snow's back. Her shoulders were exposed in her low-backed dress, an emerald green number she had picked up just the day before in her apathy. It was doing its job nicely, a glamorous look that kept up the charade that everything in Fabletown could be as simple and pretty as it was in the Homelands. The sentimentality made her nauseous and Snow adjusted her puffy shoulders lower. She wasn't quite as sold on shoulder pads as the rest of mundy women were now, but Snow felt bound to keep up with the times. Projecting the face of a functional, happy Fable while appearing as a modern mundy was essential to _the Grand Experiment_.

She took a drag from the cigarette, successfully this time. It was okay; it gave her something to do with her hands. She wanted _more_ from it, more numbing feeling, but the small pleasure it gave was an empty one. She took a sip of gin and gazed thoughtfully at the street below her.

The sounds of laughter and music played loudly behind her, and it made part of her grin. The Remembrance Day Ball used to be one of her favorite days of the year, but it seemed to sour as time went on. It seemed pointless and more hopeless than before, all this clinging to the past, clinging to false faces. It was even more putrid after the events of this year's summer. The exposé of the maze of organized crime combined with the failures of the government to _do_ anything for its citizens had given Snow her new position and new purpose. She felt whole, nearly, for some time. Nearly half a year later, however, Snow felt hollow.

"Snow?"

She nearly jumped out of her heels, quickly dropping the cigarette off the balcony and down to the street below. She clutched at her glass of gin as she turned to face who was behind her.

"What are you doing out here?"

It was the Sheriff. He was clad in his ages-old suit and his slicked back hair. It was a tired look, but Snow had admitted to herself that it fit him well. She stayed tense but tried to look unsurprised as she turned back to the banister. "I was just…taking a break from all the commotion."

"Oh yeah?"

She nodded and drank again.

Bigby joined her at her side and looked down from their height to the ground beneath them. They shared silence for a moment before he began, "Did you just drop that cigarette off the building?"

_"__Cigarette? _What cigarette?"

"You must think I'm a pretty sad excuse for a wolf if I can't smell when someone's been smoking."

Snow cursed and shook her head, ready to deny it still but then giving up. She kept her gaze forward and didn't reply.

"What's the deal? I thought you hated that shit."

"I _do_. But I'm…exceedingly restless tonight, and I thought that might help. So far the gin has just made it worse."

Bigby's eyes widened and Snow nearly blushed at her own candor.

"Where'd you get that, anyway?"

"Some waiter on his break was out here. He was kind enough to _assist."_

Bigby started to laugh, turning so he could lean his back against the banister. "I bet that waiter nearly died. Snow White asking him for a cigarette…He's going to remember that for the rest of his life."

Snow turned red and faced him, "What does _that_ mean?"

He kept his lax posture and his grin, "It means you're gorgeous and everyone looks up to you in _some _way. That kid probably never predicted that he could ever be alone on a balcony with you in his lifetime, nevertheless with you asking him for a favor."

"Come on, nobody likes me."

Bigby scoffed and shook his head. "You're important, Snow. You're a hero."

"If I'm such a hero, I certainly have a lot of citizens in my office every morning, _yelling _at me."

"You're accessible," His face grew meditative momentarily before he continued, "You're a queen of the people. Definitely enough of a figurehead to leave a waiter incoherent for the rest of the night. "

She crossed her arms and they were quiet again, listening to the band play in the background. Snow stayed firm in her denial but didn't feel like facing the impenetrable wall of the sheriff's glowing praise.

"Well, what are you up to out here, sheriff?"

Bigby reached for his own carton of cigarettes as he considered the question. "I'm just snooping around, doing my job, really. Keeping the peace. A sheriff's work is never done."

Snow let out a laugh, the first genuine one of the night. Bigby grinned before lighting his cigarette expertly.

"Surprised to see Charming here this year."

Placing her hand under her chin, Snow's head lolled towards him as she hardly contained her eye roll, "I'm _not_. With my promotion he's sure to be sniffing the money out. I guess no one told him about this year's budget cuts."

Bigby's smirk grew. "Has he been chatting you up?"

"Only constantly. Like everyone else here at this party congratulating me on my first term here."

"Y'know, I'm sure I could find a way to send him back to Europe. Pin something on him. I could figure it out."

She snickered but shook her head in disapproval, "Oh, no. I appreciate the offer though," She reached up and brushed a few raven strands from her eyes, "It wouldn't be so exhausting if everyone didn't put me on a pedestal. Everyone is watching me. I feel like they're waiting for me to mess up."

"You're powerful. They respect you."

"A pedestal isn't power. A pedestal is a _lack_ of respect." Snow took one final drink, emptying her glass before setting it down on the banister, "I've been placed on enough of them to know that, finally."

"They're just intimidated, so they put you up above them. That's part of any job with power."

The sheriff turned around to face the city again, resting on his elbows and leaning closer towards Snow. She glanced down at him and smelled the faint liquor on his breath. He seemed to be in a good mood and as he smiled and smoked, it was even beginning to rub off on her.

Snow shook her head and sighed, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to put this all on you, of all nights."

"You don't have to apologize. Really." His gravel voice softened with his kindness.

Relaxing her tense shoulders, Snow swallowed hard and briefly considered her sobriety before she let go. She moved closer and rested her head on his arm, keeping her gaze forward out to the skyline. Bigby didn't react, not even shifting his weight. The connection between their touch seemed to heal a part of her scattered thoughts, and she relished it as she had wanted to relish the cigarette earlier.

She began again, "I've been so tired this past few–"

"Ms. White? Are you out here?"

Snow's back straightened instantly as she turned to the voice behind her and stepped back. Boy Blue appeared around the corner a moment later, his eyes widening as they met with his boss.

"I've been _looking_ for you; they're going to be doing speeches soon," He stopped in his tracks, glancing at Bigby and raising his brow, "Oh, I'm sorry if I was interrupting business…"

Snow shook her head and smiled at her assistant, "Oh no, Blue, don't worry. We were just catching up on current events," She took a deep breath and turned to Bigby, "You should come with, Sheriff. It's been a big year for you, too."

"I just have to stand there and look good, right?"

Snow smiled but dropped her gaze from Bigby's eyes before she led them both back to the Ball.


End file.
